Camponotus sericeus

This is a diurnal, conspicuous golden colored Camponotus species. It will be commonly called as Golden ant due to their golden pubescence on the gaster. Likes very sunny places, will forage alone or in small groups, will direct workers in tandem movement to food source or new nest.

Camponotus sp.

A small southeast asian Camponotus species that nests in dry and dead wood similar to the European Camponotus truncatus. A moist climate is also no problem, however it is important to ensure that the nesting wood can dry out.

Because this is a peaceful species it can be kept together with other species in one basin.

Camponotus sp. 6

A small Southeast Asian Camponotus species which nests in dry tree branches like our native Camponotus truncatus. Their major workers also closes the nests entries with their plug alike heads and they are even different colored as the normal workers. The Queen attracts attention with her silvery striped gaster. Some keeping notes: nest area shouldn't be kept too moist.

Specifics: Very strong and aggressive diacamma species. Tandem run: with nest move or to big prey a guide's animal leads another ant in the tandem run! Coursing alone, or in small groups, preys will be stabbed first and then transported to the nest. This species also have a gamergate.

The Queen can't be distinguished from worker with naked eye. These colonies however were specially tested and contain queens.

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Colony
- Currently not available

With 30-50 workers

Colony
- Currently not available

With 51 - 100 workers

Diacamma scalpratum

Tandem run: In the case of a nest moving or a large beutier, a leader will guide another nest in the tandem run! Alone, or hunting in small groups, begetters are usually first stabbed and then transported to the nest. This diacamma species also has a gamergate. The queen can not be distinguished from the naked eye by a worker. These colonies, however, were specifically examined and have guaranteed a queen (Gamergate)

Taxonomy: subfamily Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini

Distribution: South Asia

Size: 16-18mm

Color: Black, with silver luster

Hibernation: No

Nest building: Earth nests

Food: insects and honey / sugar water as well as ripe fruits

Soil: sand, clay, humus

Planting: any tropical plants

Special feature: The largest and a very aggressive diacamma species. A real rainforest ant: here you have to pay attention to a constantly high humidity.

Diacamma sp.

Nest building: Soil nests (craternests), in the mountains under stones

Nutrition: Honeywater, insects, grains

Temperature: 22 - 28 °C

Soil Condition: Sand, loam, mould

Planting: Small tropical plants

Specifics: Tandem run: with nest move or to big prey a guide's animal leads another ant in the tandem run! Coursing alone, or in small groups, preys will be stabbed first and then transported to the nest.

The Queen can't be distinguished from worker with naked eye. These colonies however were specially tested and contain queens.

Meranoplus mucronatus

A very large Meranoplus spec. which nests in dead wood or soil nests. The workers are having about 7-8mm more than twice as large known as the Meranoplus bicolor.

This ant is only suitable for a community tank. As is the large diurnal ant colonies they would be very well suited for densely planted a tropical pool. The diet with sugar or honey water and insects is very easy.

Taxonomy: Myrmicinae, Tribe Meranoplini

Distribution: Southeast Asia

Appearance of the workers: head and abdomen black, thorax red-brown

Nest building: dead wood

Food: Insects and honey water

Hibernation: No

Temperature: Warm: 25 - 30 ° C.

Soil: sand, clay

Planting: small potted plant

Specifics: The ants move very slowly, because they rely entirely on their chemical defenses.

Messor cf. orientalis

Oriental Messor species which doesn't need hibernation. This species is also active in cool season in their range. It is significant easier to keep this species than for example Messor barbarus and they subsist on seeds, honey-/sugar water but also insects (similar to many Pheidole species). A typical identifiers is the caldera formed nest entry. They will often be found in sand or loamy sand. The shape of the body is slimmer than of Messor barbarus and the color of the workers is brown till black. The queen is colored black with brown legs.

Myrmicaria cf arachnoides

These specie build carton nests, similar like wasps, they need high air humidity for the nestbuilding (often spray in the closed basin). They sit up on their long extremities by danger and deliver a little drop turpentinelike defence-secretion at their protruding sting. Slow walking animals. Never nestling in the soil; carton nests often under leafs, no house-ant.

Origin: Southeast Asia (mountains about 800 m)

Taxonomy: Subfamily Myrmicinae, Tribe Myrmicariini

Characteristics: Monomorph

Hibernation: No

Appearence of the queen: two colored ant, brown-beige, humpy, with long extremities

Appearance of the workers: same as queen

Nest bulding: carton nests under leaves of trees

Nutrition: honeywater, insects

Temperature: 18 - 25°C

Air humidity: 60 - 80 % (tropical climate)

Soil conditions: only necessary for planting, nesting between leaves

Planting: ficus, Pachira aquatica

Level: Difficult

Specifics: It is advisable to use an Formicarium top covering to keep temperature and air humidity constant. Othwerwise they aren't able to build carton nests.

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Colony, black workers
- Currently not available

Contains several 200-300 workers, polygyn

Myrmicaria sp.

An undemanding ants species from the mountains of Southeast Asia which is good for keeping cooler. Because colonies of this species becomes large is is suited for keeping in large basin complxes connected with pipes. Also this Myrmicaria defend oneself with it's defense secretion.

Origin: Southeast Asia (mountains about 1500 m)

Taxonomy: Subfamily Myrmicinae, Tribe Myrmicariini

Characteristics: Monomorph, can not sting

Hibernation: No

Appearence of the queen: deep brown with orange thorax, humpy

Appearance of the workers: deep brown

Nest bulding: soil nests

Nutrition: honeywater, insects

Temperature: 14 - 25°C

Air humidity: 60 - 80 % (tropical climate)

Note: Shipping abbroad in winter (November-March) at your own risk.

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Small colony
- Currently not available

With 5-10 workers

Large Colony
- Currently not available

With about 1500 workers

Odontomachus sp. "brown"

These ants are able to catapult themselfs up to 40 cm far thru sudden lock up of their mandibles. This mandible lock up is the fastest known mechanism in the fauna. The upper jaw closes with a speed of 38 to 64 m/s. Thru locking up their jaws they are anesthetizing their prey to afterwards sting it to death. It is improper for a corporate tank/formicarium because they will attack any other species at first encounter.

Taxonomy: Subfamily Ponerinae, Tribe Ponerini

Distribution: South-East Asia, Southern America

Color: brown

Size: 12 mm

Hibernation: No

Nutrition: Sugar water and insects

Temperature: 24 - 28 °C

Nest building: Soil nests and rotten wood

Keeping level: easy

Dangers: can sting

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Queen
- Currently not available

Small colony
- Currently not available

With 10-15 workers

Colony
- Currently not available

Colony with at least 100 ants from Southern America

Odontomachus sp."black"

These ants are able to catapult themselfs up to 40 cm far thru sudden lock up of their mandibles. This mandible lock up is the fastest known mechanism in the fauna. The upper jaw closes with a speed of 38 to 64 m/s. Thru locking up their jaws they are anesthetizing their prey to afterwards sting it to death. It is improper for a corporate tank/formicarium because they will attack any other species at first encounter.

Oecophylla smaragdina

These specie lives in trees like ficus, therein they build their nests. For greater colonies it is better to offer them more trees. They waeve at team work leaves which be use as homebase or louse-cultivation room. Never Nestling in the soil. Use own brood (larvae) to weave

Origin:Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Subfamily Formicinae, Tribe Oecophyllini

Characteristics: minors and majors

Hibernation: No

Appearence of the queen: great, vigorous, often green, brown

Appearance of the workers: brown, slim with long extremities

Nest bulding: weaved nests between leaves of trees

Nutrition: honeywater, insects

Temperature: 22 - 28°C

Air humidity: 60 - 80 % (tropical rainforest)

Soil conditions: only necessary for planting, nesting between leaves

Planting: ficus

Level: Medium

Hint: Large Oecophylla smaragdina colonies have many branch nests (polydom) but only one main nest with a mated Queen. Because we don't want to cheat our customers we will only sell opened (verified) nests with guaranteed mated Queens which were usually kept by us several months before we sell. Unopened nests can contain parasites or vermins (Mites, cockroaches, etc.). So called low-cost colonies without Queen are wasted money because you don't take pleasure in very long.

Pheidologeton cf. affinis

New Pheidologeton species from South Asia with browner colored workers.

Taxonomy: Submailiy Myrmicinae, Tribe Pheidologetonini

Origin: South Asia

Color:Workers: brown, Soldiers: black brown

Characteristics: strong polymorph, monogyn and also polygyn

Nutrition: insects and seeds

Hibernation: No

Temperature: 25 - 30 °C

Humidity: 50% - 60% at 28° C (moist ground)

Soil conditions: loamy sand, loam

Planting: not necessary

Accessories: heat source

Level: for advancer

Specifics: very interesting ants because their predatory attacks like this of driver ants. They also apply fixed "highways" when the colony is great enough. The workers ride on their queens (for protection) and sometimes also on the soldiers. The difference of size between the workers and soldiers is the biggest of all ant species. In contrary to Pheidologeton diversus this species is more active in movement and nest building, and has also slightly smaller workers.

Specifics: very interesting ants because their predatory attacks like this of driver ants. They also apply fixed "highways" when the colony is great enough. The workers ride on their queens (for protection) and sometimes also on the soldiers. The difference of size between the workers and soldiers is the biggest of all ant species.

Specifics: Very interesting ants because their predatory attacks like this of driver ants. They also apply fixed "highways" when the colony is great enough. The workers ride on their queens (for protection) and sometimes also on the soldiers. The difference of size between the workers and soldiers is the biggest of all ant species.

Polyrhachis sp. 2

This is a black aggressive indonesian polyrhachis species that builds weaved nests under leafes. It is a monogyn rarer species compared to other Polyrhachis. A remarkable characteristic is the hammertone finish like black head and thorax. This strong about 1 cm large Polyrhachis builds smaller colonies compared to other Polyrhachis.

Taxonomy: Subfamily Formicinae, Tribe Camponotini

Origin: Indonesia

Hibernation: No

Appearence: black (hammertone finish) with large thorns

Size: Workers 1 cm

Nest bulding: Cocon nests primarily between or under leafes

Nutrition: honeywater, insects

Temperature: 25 - 28°C

Air humidity: 60 - 80 % (tropical rainforest)

Soil conditions: only necessary for planting

Planting: i.e. Ficus, Pachira aquatica

Level: Medium

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Colony
- Currently not available

With approx. 50 workers

Polyrhachis sp. 3

This is a small black colored peaceful indonesian Polyrhachis species that creates it's weave nests between leafes. Colonies are not very populous and are ideal for keeping in community basins. This species have large thorns and slight red leegs.